Free James, Stephanie by Fabulous Beast Page B

best thing for my leg. It’s
    aching a little. But don’t worry, I’ll just take a couple of aspirin while you have a dance with Mr.
    Waverly. Maybe that and another couple of drinks will deaden the pain.”
    Instantly Tabitha was on her feet, Steve Waverly completely forgotten as she rounded the table to take
    Dev’s arm. “You will not sit here and gulp aspirin and alcohol! Of all the silly notions. What you need is
    more bed rest. I should never have dragged you off to that artist’s colony this afternoon. How could I
    have been so thoughtless? And now I’ve kept you up till all hours when you ought to be sleeping. Come
    along, Dev. I’m taking you back to your cabin right now!”
    Dev allowed himself to be assisted to his feet, his fingers closing strongly around the handle of the cane
    as he smiled blandly at his puzzled foe. “If you’ll excuse us, Steve?”
    Tabitha seemed to remember Waverly’s presence. “Oh, yes, please excuse us, Mr. Waverly,” she said
    with a charming smile. “Dev is still recovering from a terrible incident back on St. Regis, you know. He
    needs plenty of bed rest. See you later,” she added rather absently as she took Dev’s arm and started
    him out of the cocktail lounge.
    They had almost reached the door when Dev pulled back slightly. “Just a second, honey, I forgot to
    leave a tip. You wait here and I’ll be right back.”
    “I could take the money back to the table,” she began earnestly.
    “No, that’s all right. Won’t take a second.” He patted her hand reassuringly and turned back into the
    crowded lounge. Using the cane with a polite ruthlessness, he forged a path back through the dancers
    until he found the table Steve Waverly occupied alone. The younger man glanced up in astonishment as
    Dev approached.
    “Listen, weasel,” Dev drawled in chillingly polite tones that immediately got Waverly’s complete
    attention. “I think we need to clarify a small matter here. Just so there’s no misunderstandings, the lady is
    private property. Come near her again and I will take you apart piece by piece. There are plenty of other
    more exotic creatures on board this ship. Stay away from my tabby cat.”
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    Waverly’s handsome face went through a variety of expressions as he rapidly reassessed the situation.
    Dev was pleased with the final wariness which settled into the other man’s blue eyes. He nodded in
    satisfaction, not feeling any compunction at all in having used nearly forty years of harsh experience and
    the resulting masculine assurance to quell his younger rival. Dev knew damn well he could be intimidating
    when he chose, and tonight he found himself choosing to be exactly that: thoroughly intimidating.
    “Good night, Mr. Waverly,” he murmured arrogantly, turning back toward the door with masterful
    confidence. Through the bobbing dancers he could just barely make out Tabitha’s anxious gaze as she
    searched impatiently for him. Dev smiled to himself, quite pleased. He remembered to inject a hint of
    brave suffering into his smile as Tabitha caught sight of him and came forward to take his arm once more.
    “Did you leave the tip?” she asked politely, guiding him out the door.
    “I left a tip,” he murmured in satisfaction.
    “I’m sure it will be appreciated.”
    “I can only hope so.”
    “How’s the leg?” Tabitha inquired as he leaned more heavily on her arm.
    “It aches, I’m afraid,” Dev admitted. It wasn’t altogether a sham, either, unfortunately. The damn leg
    was hurting a bit tonight. And so were the ribs for that matter. Forty years might buy a man enough
    experience and confidence to intimidate younger rivals but they also brought some less pleasant rewards
    such as the aches and pains generated by all that accumulated experience.
    The discomfort, however, was almost worth it just to see the warm concern in Tabby’s eyes as she led
    him